


Dancing 'til Dawn

by ChristinaS412



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, arya and gendry are drunk, carefree drunk arya, everybody's chill for once, mid-s8, minor braime, minor missandei x greyworm, post-BoW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 16:40:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18392276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChristinaS412/pseuds/ChristinaS412
Summary: Gendry can't help but notice Arya, in a dress, dancing at the celebration after the battle of Winterfell.





	Dancing 'til Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by “I don’t dance” by Lee Brice  
> (alternatively: "Irish Party in Third Class" - Titanic Orchestra)
> 
> tumblr @ greeneyedwildthing

She looked beautiful. Long brown hair streaming through the empty air behind her as she spun around in circles to the beat of the drums. Hands held out to keep her balance Gendry stared dumbfounded as the emerald green fabric of her dress flared out on all sides. Sansa had leaned in, whispering something in the younger sisters’ ear, causing Arya to toss her head back in laughter.

 _She’s drunk_ , he thought idly. Rightfully so. They had won the battle of the long night. Arya herself sported a dark cut above her eye, and another just beneath the hem of near her shoulder. Gendry tried not to think about that though, choosing instead to take another sip of his ale.

The great hall was crowded, brimming with highborns’ and commoners alike. Gendry himself was beginning to enjoy the celebration, having downed a few cups of mead from where he stood against the wall. But the sight of her dancing with the ladies of the court had stolen his attention entirely. Arya, for all her northern iron, wore a smile as she twisted away from Sansa towards Missandei. Linking arms with the hand of the queen, the young stark laughed again, clapping her hands in unison with the music.  _God’s_ , he thought with a groan. The young girl he remembered in the Smallwood’s forge had grown into something else entirely... a young northern woman in every right. Fierce and wildly mesmerizing. Even now, in a dress and half drunk on happiness and ale, Arya stole his breath away.

Distracted by his train of thought he nearly missed her spin towards Lady Brienne, who stood like a statue at the edge of the fray. Holding out a hand the brunette smiled, head cocked to one side as she sized up the other woman. Despite the distance, Gendry had enough sense to recognize the mischief in her eyes as she tried to get Brienne to join the other woman.

As if she sensed his spying her grey eyes drifted to his from where she stood, catching his gaze with the slightest smile before finishing her conversation with Brienne.  Stepping past her Arya wove her way through the partygoers like water until the young princess stood in front of him.

This close he could see how the careful braids in her hair had begun to come undone. The edges of her gown were stained with mud and the faint outline of her catspaw dagger still jutted out from one side.

“It’s rude to stare,” She remarked, the smile from earlier still faintly there as Gendry’s cheeks flushed red.

Damn her if it wasn’t the beginning of his undoing, “I wasn’t starin’ M’ lady, just watching the fun.” Jerking his chin back toward the other ladies. He silently applauded himself for remembering his courtesies, trying his best not to forget their audience as a few people began to stare.  

            For once she let the title slide, though her expression faltered slightly if only for a moment. He watched as she turned to survey the party, hands twisted to gather up the fabric of her dress as the two quietly watched Jamie begin to coax Brienne out into the fray. His golden hand waving enthusiastically to the beat of the drums while two women distracted Podrick. Arya chuckled, turning back towards Gendry before tilting her chin up challengingly. “Would you like to?” If he wasn’t half drunk himself, he would’ve sworn her voice shook with nervousness. But having spied how much she had to drink at the great feast earlier Gendry guessed she was just as drunk as him if not more. Glancing back up at the crowd he noted Jon beginning to make his way to the general assembly just as Missandei pulled Greyworm towards her. Her friends and family didn’t seem to mind her absence, losing themselves in the euphoria for the night. Though Sansa spared a glance in their direction every few minutes. Arya belonged there with her family and everyone else, dancing as she had been. _But so do you_ , Gendry reminded himself awkwardly. Slowly he nodded, still uncertain as he downed the last of his ale before pushing off the wall and following her lead.  

            Gendry kept his eyes low as they made their way through the crowd, until her hand slipped into his and she turned to face him at the edge of the circle. The sight of her up close stole his breath away, and for a moment Gendry found himself lost in the clear depths of her grey eyes as she looked up at him a smile playing at the corners of her lips. Even after all this time he had never gotten quite used to her. Casting a glance over her shoulder at what the others were doing Gendry tried to remember how to move his two left feet when her laughter broke his spell. Punching him lightly to ease the tension Arya offered her hand for him to take, linking their fingers together as she pulled him out onto the dance floor and began to spin again around him. The smile from earlier slid effortlessly across her lips, and mirrored his own grin, as she dared herself to spin faster and faster to the beat of the drums.

            By the end of the night the two were among the last of the crowd. She had forgone the formalities hours before. Choosing instead resting her head against his chest as they swayed lazily back and forth. The drunken high he had started with had since drifted off to a deep calm. The war was won, tomorrow the northern lords would venture back to their castles and begin the process of rebuilding. He hadn’t thought about what he would do after tonight, a part of him had considered visiting Hotpie now that the forge was fully staffed again. But the weight of Arya in his arms left only one certainty – he would follow her anywhere.  

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Please leave a like / comment !!  
> & feel free to share :)


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